BJ21.com Newsletter
April 30, 2010 100430
Presented as a public service
by BJ21.com, the leading source of accurate
information about casino games and conditions. Our free
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Compiled by Al
Rogers
Al@bj21.com
Las
Vegas police search six sites in investigation of counseling service
provider
Brox, who separately is facing sexual assault charges, also solicited
business from casinos. When the casinos detained people on trespassing
and other minor criminal charges, the casinos were to route those
people into Brox's program rather than calling police to make the
arrests, detectives alleged in sworn affidavits last year. Once
enrolled, the detainees were charged $500 and the company would kick
back $100 to the casinos for each person who completed the program. The
transactions amounted to an end run on the justice system, police
alleged.
Gaming
agents step up probe of indicted high-roller's claims
LAS VEGAS - State gaming agents are stepping up an investigation into
an indicted high-roller's claims that Harrah's Entertainment casinos
unlawfully encouraged him to gamble away tens of millions of dollars by
keeping him in a constant state of intoxication.
Harrah's
mum about rumors the Rio is for sale -- Gaming company has comment on
Bloomberg News report
Bloomberg News on Friday cited unnamed sources as saying that Harrah's
is seeking bids for the 89-acre property and Starwood Capital Group and
Colony Capital are weighing bids for the property.
Pay for pre-shift meetings spurs suit against Harrah’s
LAS VEGAS - A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday is the latest in a series
of class-action pay claims filed by Nevada workers. This week’s case is
against Harrah’s Entertainment. The suit alleges Harrah’s requires
workers to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before their shifts start but
doesn’t pay them for the extra time.
Harrah's
CEO Gary Loveman at Milken Global 2010
Mary Ellen Slayter interviews Gary Loveman, CEO and Chairman of
Harrah's on the state of the hospitality business and how to keep your
team inspired during tough times.
Boyd
withdraws objection to Station bidding procedures
RENO - Boyd Gaming Corp. on Wednesday withdrew its objection to Station
Casinos' proposed bidding procedures, less than two days after the
company said the auction plan was going to be the "focus of our
efforts" in bankruptcy hearings.
Longtime
state senator named to Gaming Commission
CARSON CITY – Sen. Randolph Townsend, a 27-year member of the Nevada
Legislature, has been named to the five-member Nevada Gaming
Commission, which makes final decisions on casino matters.
Macau's
Cap on Builders Could Threaten Casinos
HONG KONG—Macau's government is proposing a new law that would restrict
the number of nonresident workers on construction projects, potentially
disrupting ambitious expansion plans by the territory's casino
developers.
It
seems Las Vegas hasn't done enough for Steve Wynn
If after all Las Vegas has done for Steve Wynn isn't enough to engender
his loyalty, then there's only one thing left to do. Help the ingrate
pack.
Mohegan Sun Profits Plummet, Net Income Falls 40 Percent
CONNECTICUT - The owner of Mohegan Sun on Thursday reported huge profit
declines for the second-fiscal quarter that ended March 31, as overall
slot revenues fell more than 2 percent and administrative costs surged
13 percent.
Ruling
may backfire on tribal casinos
A California band of Indians that runs a bustling casino won an
important court ruling last week. If it holds up on appeal, California
tribes could gain the power to expand their casinos without having to
pay significant money into state coffers.
Frank Facing Vote Delay As McDermott Bill Gets Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - While a long running labour dispute in Atlantic City
may make it more difficult for a House committee to vote against an
Internet gambling ban, another committee has scheduled a May 26 hearing
on a bill by Rep. Jim McDermott to tax online betting.
Casinos
worry as betting goes online --Gaming industry fears losing out, pushes
governments to allow Canadian websites
A trend towards betting on websites instead of going to casinos has the
Canadian gaming industry wondering how to get a cut of the new online
action.
NEVADAN
AT WORK: Family ties lead Gaughan to track
John Gaughan figured he was destined for the family business. When he
came home from the University of Nebraska in 1988, a management
position with his father Michael Gaughan's airport slot machine
operations was on the agenda. It seemed like a good way to learn the
casino business.
Las
Vegas posts nation’s highest metropolitan foreclosure rate
Las Vegas continued to post the nation’s highest metropolitan
foreclosure rate during the first quarter.
Crist
signs $1 billion Seminole gambling deal
TALLAHASSEE - With little fanfare, Gov. Charlie Crist on
Wednesday signed the bill ratifying the $1 billion Seminole gambling
compact with the state and lowering the tax rate on South Florida
parimutuels.
Pennsylvania Gaming board moves to strip Foxwoods group of license ...
It was a last-ditch effort, and the investors behind the Foxwoods
Casino knew it. They have had no money, no design, no project, since
Las Vegas tycoon Steve Wynn left them at the altar on April 8.
...Steve
Wynn still interested in Philadelphia casino, if Foxwoods drops out
Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn said Thursday he would consider
taking another look at the Philadelphia gaming market if the license
for a stalled slots parlor is revoked.
Rincon Decision
A Dangerous Victory For US Tribes
A recent landmark appeal court ruling in California which found that
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had strong-armed tribes over revenue
sharing agreements is unlikely to be enough to reverse a growing tide
of anti-sovereignty sentiment.
The Bear Growls
Long-time Las Vegas-based advantage player, casino critic, and frequent
BJ21.com
contributor LVBear offers his opinions on things that sometimes go
wrong in the world of casinos.
Current and past growls can be read and comments posted at LVBear's
website, TheBearGrowls.com
Beat the Players - Casinos, Cops and the
Game Inside the Game, by Bob Nersesian
This
book should be read by everyone who sets foot in a casino: average
casino patrons, skilled players, casino employees, and anyone else. It
should be required reading for police officers, regulators, other
public officials, and attorneys who may represent any of the
aforementioned. Beat the Players
was the subject of a
feature in USA Today.
Bob
Nersesian is an attorney who represents victims of casino wrongdoing
against patrons. In an enjoyable writing style, he takes a look at the
often too-cozy relationship between casinos, police, and regulators. He
discusses specific cases and dispenses sound, practical advice that
patrons, casinos and public officials would be wise to heed. Cases
discussed are from Nevada and other jurisdictions.
Chapters
include: Your Money or Your Liberty; Scary Cop Statements; They'll Take
Your Liberty Anyway; Gaming Agents Speak; The Take of the State; Rules
for Casino Patrons; Gambling at the Legal Limits; Cops Hate Card
Counters; Griffin Investigations; Casinos Cheat With Impunity; A
Judicial and Government Overlay; Finding a Nickel Brings Trouble; Names
and Aliases; The Security Office and Surveillance Functions, and
Casinos and Cops.
Appendices
include Nevada Cheating and Detention Laws with Commentary; Other
Nevada Gaming Laws of Interest; Gaming Cases of Interest, and Nevada
Gaming Regulations with Commentary.
The
320-page book includes a bibliography and an index.
The
price is $19.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada
address). Green Chip
members get their normal 10% discount .Order Beat
the Players.
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If you are serious about beating casinos, you like to talk about it
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Current Blackjack News
On the 1st and 2nd of every month, a couple dozen Pi Yee Press
reporters visit casinos around the United States to check on the
blackjack rules and playing conditions. Five of those reporters split
up Las Vegas and visit every casino in town. Any changes in rules and
playing conditions that they find, they email to the CBJN editor, who
compiles them into a newsletter that is published late in the afternoon
on the 3rd. That report is available as a single issue, your choice of
e-mail or regular mail. The price of a single issue is $13 for
electronic or $16 for regular mail. Sample issue of Current Blackjack News.
You can subscribe to download CBJN from the BJ21 web site. The price is
$27 per quarter (three issues) or $89 per year (twelve issues) by
Visa/MC/AmEx with automatic renewal. Minimum subscription is one
quarter. Order Current Blackjack News
You've Got Heat Volume
II e-book by Barfarkel
Barfarkel is the pseudonym of a skilled card counter who treats card
counting as an avocation. His card counting trips to Las Vegas and Reno
are quite detailed, and show how grueling it can be to take on the
casinos at their own game. Barfarkel began his card counting
journey in April 1999 with a $2,000 playing bankroll. Four years later,
he was able to grow his bankroll to $10,000. This part of his playing
career is fully documented in his first book, You've Got Heat.
You've Got Heat Volume II encompasses the subsequent 20 trips
that Barfarkel took to Las Vegas and Reno during the period of October
2003 through October 2007. During this time, Barfarkel played 643 hours
of blackjack, and his bankroll took some wild swings (from a high of
$17k to a low of $7k). How this happened makes for fascinating reading.
As usual, Barfarkel prefers to write as he speaks, directly and to the
point. So don't be surprised if you find some abbreviated sentences and
unorthodox phrasing in his narratives. Each of the trip reports in
this book was originally published in Blackjack Insider Newsletter.
They were updated and most of the repetition was removed from chapter
to chapter although some was left intact to maintain the original style
of each trip report.
Blackjack players will get inspiration from reading Barfarkel's
story. He shows that you can win money playing blackjack using the
principles and techniques of card counting. Is it easy? Hardly, as
you'll discover when you read this book. Barfarkel started his card
counting journey as a red chip player, with the desire to become a
green chip bettor. After he started winning, he accomplished this goal.
He then set his sights on winning more to allow him to become a
high-rolling black chip player. Did he achieve this goal? We'll let him
tell the story.
Note:
This is an "e-book" --
not a regular paper book. When ordered, it will come via email in PDF
format. Order form.
The Color
of Blackjack focuses on
KO count
The Color of Blackjack focuses on the KO counting system. It is
68 pages, and features many full-color charts.
Ken Smith, longtime
professional blackjack player and author, says:
I've known Daniel Dravot for quite a few years now. He's a successful
and experienced pro player. He's been on the road playing blackjack all
over the country for many years and gambling has long been his sole
source of income. What I did not know was that he uses KO as his count
system. That was surprising to me. Even though I have long recommended
KO to new players, I always thought there was a small performance
penalty to pay for the simplicity and convenience of KO. The Color of Blackjack describes his
addition to KO which is a workable way to gain some of the advantage
you could have with TKO (True-Counted KO).
George C, longtime
professional blackjack player and author, says:
I've known Daniel Dravot for quite some time. He not only talks the
talk but walks the walk. He's made a nice haul over the last few years
and it's outlined in the book.
The price is $24.95 plus shipping (plus sales tax if sent to a Nevada
address). Green Chip members receive a ten percent
discount. Order The Color of Blackjack.
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